Issue Briefs
The role of the professional case manager is changing rapidly. Health reform has called upon the industry to ensure that care delivered is efficient, effective, high quality and low cost. Never in our history has the role and the function of the professional case manager been more important. The expectations of today’s case manager are evolving and the experts in policy, research and industry are talking with the Commission about changes affecting case management practice.
The Commission’s Issue Briefs are offered as part of the CMLearning Network®. Each publication covers topics that are timely and relevant to today’s professional case manager. If you would like a hard copy of an Issue Brief for your staff, or for use at a meeting, we can send you a limited amount at no charge. Simply make your request by filling out the form in the sidebar, and we'll be happy to send them to you.
The Issue Briefs displayed below are the most recent.
Long COVID and the workplace: Case managers and disability management specialists must prepare to support clients and educate employers
Only recently have we begun to grasp the impact of long COVID on the workplace. Despite knowing about COVID-19 and its symptoms, most health care professionals don’t completely understand what has come to be called “long COVID.” Case managers and disability management specialists need to learn as much as they can, says Patricia Nunez, MA, CRC, CDMS, CCM, secretary, Commission for Case Manager Certification. “As many as 30% of those who get COVID-19 have lingering symptoms, some debilitating.” The medical term for long COVID illness is post-acute sequelae of COVID19 (PASC). PASC includes persistent or new symptoms that develop at least four to eight weeks after the initial infection with COVID-19. For some people, these symptoms persist for a year or more. Estimates vary widely: About 10% to 30% of COVID-19 survivors develop PASC.
Baby steps: Enhancing your well-being—and that of your clients—is easier than you think
Taking care of others day in and day out has always been stressful. The pandemic has made it, for many, overwhelming. Burnout and compassion fatigue affect so many case managers, disability management specialists, nurses, psychologists and other health professionals. They must juggle the challenges of looking after clients during the pandemic while addressing their own struggles.
"It is especially important for case managers and disability management specialists to take care of themselves in order not to burnout. Building your own well-being can give you more energy, resilience and creativity to better serve others,” says Teri Treiger, RN-BC, MA, CCM, FABQAURP, chair-elect, Commission for Case Manager Certification. That’s because taking care of your well-being yields psychological, physical and intellectual benefits, says Beth Cabrera, Ph.D., TEDx speaker, founder of Cabrera Insights and author of Beyond Happy: Women, Work, and Well-Being.
A better normal? The pandemic provided opportunities to transform the workplace, and many employers are ready to lead the change
Employers have spent the last 18 months supporting employees and consumers through the peaks and valleys of the pandemic. The lessons learned may influence the future of how employees work and their overall wellbeing, says Ed Quick, MA, MBA, CRC, CDMS, Commissioner, Commission for Case Manager Certification.
From the possibilities of remote work to the value of a whole-person approach to employee health, expect the pandemic to leave its mark on the future of work.
“The need to support employee health and wellbeing is more critical than ever,” he explains. “Disability Management Specialists and Certified Case Managers have had to advocate and assist clients over the past year while at the same time dealing with their own personal and workplace changes and challenges. They will likely continue to do so as we all navigate the ‘new normal.’”
Telehealth for at-risk populations: It’s so much more than the technology
No matter how snazzy the interface or how novel the platform, telehealth must always be about the client first with technology coming second. Keeping that top of mind is crucial when thinking about telehealth for vulnerable populations, says Vivian Campagna, DNP, RN-BC, CCM, chief industry relations officer, Commission for Case Manager Certification. Many clients, including older adults, those with low incomes, people with low health or computer literacy and those not proficient in English already struggle with access to care. Telehealth—which we generally think enhances access—in fact creates new hurdles for these clients. This is especially true for those with limited or no internet access and those in crowded living conditions with no privacy. As a result, the move to telehealth during the pandemic both improved and restricted health care access, Campagna explains.
Tips, tactics and strategies: How to foolproof your virtual encounters and protect your clients
The pandemic has accelerated health care delivery transformation, and CCMs have adapted. “We’ve become more flexible, adjusting our work processes, patterns and protocols to better meet our clients’ needs,” says Vivian Campagna, MSN, RN-BC, CCM, chief industry relations officer, Commission for Case Manager Certification. It hasn’t always been easy: For instance, for many case managers, the shift to telehealth involved a steep learning curve. “We’re all continuing to learn, especially as we recognize that remote visits will continue long after each of us has been vaccinated.” And there is much to learn.